I heard these comments many times when I was head of serials at the
University of Michigan Graduate Library.  I explained that we were a
research library, and researchers expected the periodicals to be
organized by subject.  I directed them to the undergraduate library,
where they could find a smaller collection of popular titles, in
alphabetical order.  Also, I would hate to have to shift a large
collection each time a title changed!
Pamela Bruner
Head of Serials
Palm Beach County Library System

Quoting Naomi Young <naomi@UFLIB.UFL.EDU>:

> What would you say if you had been asked to answer this electronic
> reference query?
> ---
> Reference Question = I would like to peruse various periodicals related
> to Africa, political science, economics, sociology, history, religion,
> etc. It would certainly have been nice if UF would have arranged the
> periodicals alphabetically (like most major universities, including the
> Ivy league). Instead I have to find the call number for each periodical!
> This is crazy! Is an alphabetical list available? If not, can one be
> posted electronically and also a hard copy posted in the periodical
> room? I'm sure other students are going to be driven mad when they
> cannot simply walk into the library and read Time, Newsweek or Sports
> Illustrated, but instead have to find a computer and figure out where
> the magazine is located.
> ------
>
> The snide answers that are leaping to my fingers are neither kind nor
> user-centered... I'm curious ... what would YOU say?
>
> (Bonus points for Ivy League respondents who class their unbound
> issues)!
>
> Friday regards,
> Naomi Young
>
> Naomi K. Young
> Principal Serials Cataloger
> Cataloging & Metadata Dept.
> University of Florida
> Gainesville, FL 32611-7007
> (352) 392-0355 ext 234
> naomi@uflib.ufl.edu
>
>
>